A Penny For Your Troubles
by monkkeyslut
Summary: Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. This is theirs. High T. Roy/Jade
1. Chapter 1

****So this'll be a three parter. Hopefully everyone enjoys.****

**Characters: **Roy Harper, Wally West, Jade Nguyen, Bruce Wayne

**Pairing:** Roy/Jade

**Rating: **high T

**Summary:** Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. So does theirs.

* * *

><p>The Beginning (of the Beginning)<p>

**i. she's chaos in human form.**

If Roy could describe himself in one word, it'd be stubborn.

It's not really a surprise, or hard to figure out. He's a stubborn prick. Always has been, always will be. So when they tell him, Don't play nice with the bad guys, and he does anyway, he's got the stubbornness to blame.

"Quick on your feet," Roy grins, mouth curling up into a smirk, showing his teeth. "I like that."

"You would," Cheshire drawls, and they don't attack. They just _move._

It gets irritating after a while. Roy loses his patience, Cheshire cackles, they both lunge. Her _sai_ grazes his left bicep, leaving a light trail of blood, and he groans. It doesn't make him pause, though. He lands a hit to her stomach, causing her to backpedal.

"Hurt?" He smirks, grips his bow tighter, and leans _down_ to stare at her mask. "I'll try and go easy on you."

They never do go easy on one another. Maybe that's the best part.

.x.

It's a reoccurring thing. She causes trouble somewhere; _anywhere._ He follows.

They don't have a thing. Having a thing would involve knowing each other's names. He supposes he does know a few things about her. She's got black hair, long, _long_ legs, and gorgeous, mind-fucking _eyes._

"Get off me," she says, but it's not a demand, it seems like a challenge. Her arms tied tight behind her back, mask torn off, thrown somewhere across the room. Clothes dishevelled, ripped, showing bare skin. He smiles. "Uncomfortable?"

"Aren't good guys supposed to be _good?"_ She murmurs; her hot, sweet breath on his lower lip. It makes him dizzy, but in a good way. "This doesn't seem very heroic. Not that I mind." Those _eyes._

He could end it right now. Knock her out and call the police. But that…that would be…

Jade licks her lips, tongue just _barely_ touching his bottom lip. It makes his stomach coil, makes his dick twitch and his pants _tighten_. _God Harper,_ he thinks, berating himself at the thought. _You don't get any in a few months and suddenly you're all hot over this chick?_

He presses the thoughts down; won't let them take control. 9-1-1 is quickly called.

He watches them haul her away. Ignores her smirk.

* * *

><p>The Middle (of the Beginning)<p>

**ii. build a bridge**

Months later, he's being summoned by GA and Bats. Yay.

"We need you to go undercover," Batman tells him, and images of Cheshire pop up on the screen of Bat's supercomputer. "Her name is Jade Nguyen, and she's incredibly dangerous. We need someone to go in, find out anything and _everything_ they can."

Roy knows what they want. He understands what they _need._ Doesn't mean he'll do it, though. "Why would I-,"

"Roy," Ollie says, and…ah _fuck._

.x.

He grows his hair out, doesn't shave for a month except for maybe a trim or two, and then he meets her.

She's out of costume, but he's sure she's still packing weapons. It doesn't matter though, because she's _dancing_ and _fuck_ this girl can move. Roy starts toward her, pushing through people, intent on getting to her side. When he gets close enough, she looks up, grins, and wiggles her fingers at him.

"Hey," she laughs as his hand cups her hip, pulls her toward him. _She's soft,_ he thinks. _Of course she would be._

"Hey yourself," he leans down, blue eyes meeting brown, and those eyes…

They grind and move and _dance_, her hands on his hips, nails leaving sharp marks in the pale skin of his stomach, while his leave light bruises. She's gorgeous. This doesn't seem like a mission, either.

Roy's just about to finish dancing and pull her off to the side of dance floor, when she smiles at him. And it's probably that smile that makes him do it. One second, he's trying to get them to leave, the next, he's kissing her.

And kissing Cheshire—_Jade—_is even better than he thought it would be.

.x.

"Do you—," _pant, breathe, _"Have protection?" She's a lot less composed now, and she's never like this when they fight. But he supposes she doesn't know it's him. Or maybe she does. Whatever.

"Yeah, yeah," Roy answers, fingers already dragging her shirt up. Over her breasts, head and arms through the proper holes, "_God,"_ he breathes, mouth attacking her chest, biting, tugging, tasting, "You're fucking gorgeous."

His mouth touches her nipples, and he feels her gasp, feels her heart pound. She's amazing.

"I know," she laughs, tugging his mouth up by his hair, teeth biting down on his lip. "Believe me, I know."

He's sure she does.

.x.

"Where ya from?" He asks her one night, while he's brushing hair from her face. Her lips twitch down, eyebrows draw together, and for a second, he thinks maybe she'll tell the truth. But then her grin lights up her face, and she's happy again.

"I've been _everywhere,"_ she pulls him after her.

He follows, stepping carefully over the fallen branches. "What? You brought me out here to kill me, didn't you?" Roy knows it's possible. She wouldn't hesitate to if she knew. Her black hair slips over her shoulder, and she smirks. "You bet."

They stop a few more feet ahead, and she stands tall, back to him. Roy's got a feeling in his stomach this won't turn out good. _Just give it a few more minutes, Harper._

When she begins to turn, he lets out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. And then…well then its back.

She's got her _sai_ to his throat, snarl on her face. "_Red Arrow, _right?"

_I'm stuck, I'm fucked, and Ollie this is all your __**motherfuckin' **__fault god__**dammit!**_

"Jade-,"

"Save it," she hisses, blade pressing harder against his skin. Roy feels sweat against his hairline. "What the fuck do you want?"

"If you knew it was me the whole time, why did-,"

"_Answer my question."_

Roy swallows thickly. He didn't bring any weapons with him. _Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck._

"I'm supposed to bring you in." He answers finally, glaring into her brown eyes. "Obviously, it hasn't worked out."

This seems to make her pause. She frowns, mouth turned down, eyes narrowed. "Then why didn't you get me the night at the bar…?"

"Didn't want to be too obvious. Why didn't you figure out it was me until now?" He smirks at her angry face, crosses his arms, pretends that he doesn't have a _knife_ to his _throat._

"How do you know I didn't?" She leans forward, bravado back, and mouth inches from his. He could kiss her _right now_ and try to get away later. He could he could he could…

He does.

She tries to pull away, tries to slice his neck, but he's stronger than her, pulling her wrists from his neck. "Just give in," he murmurs, doesn't close his eyes. Neither does she.

The _sai_ drops, and she presses into him. "Won't you get in a lot of trouble for this?" She doesn't seem like she's laughing anymore. She's serious.

"Probably," he nods, working his way down her neck.

"And you don't care?"

"Not a bit," he answers, pushing her against a tree. "Now shut up."

.x.

"So I suppose now you have to bring me in?" Jade's pulling on her clothes, and Roy watches. He rubs at his goatee, exhaling carefully.

"I…I don't _want_ to," he answers truthfully, not meeting her eyes. He cracks his knuckles, and smacks the log he's sitting on. "But. But I think I _have to."_

She leans against a tree, eyeing him. Her arms are crossed, foot against a tree trunk. "And if I ran away through the night?"

His eyes rise to meet hers, and he smirks. "That…that just might work."

* * *

><p>The End (of the Beginning)<p>

**iii. stay gone**

"You _lost her?"_ To anyone else, Batman would seem livid. But Roy's seen livid, and this is not it. _This_ is disappointment, which, Roy supposes, is worse.

"She's a trained assassin," Roy counters, scuffing a boot against the ground. He's sure the others are listening in on the conversation, and he's sure Wally's gonna be asking him about it later. Whatever. "I'm sure she figured out who I was the moment I got there.

"Probably _not,"_ Batman replies, turning his back to Roy. The redhead merely scoffs, turning on his heel. "Next time you need someone to go undercover, _don't ask me."_

"Rest assured, Roy," Batman uses his real name, the smug _prick, _"I won't."

.x.

"I want to hit you," Roy says into his phone. "Actually, I want to shove your face into my toilet and hold it there."

"_Dude,"_ Wally complains, voice static-y. "_Who_ just got his tonsils out?" He coughs, or does something like that, and Roy _might_ feel bad. Just a little. "That's right. _Me._ Now, I need me some ice cream, and you're conveniently in Central while everyone is working. See how these things work out?"

"Fuck you," Roy laughs, eyeing the different brands. "What do you like?"

"The sexy ginger kind."

"Ha-ha," Roy opens the glass door, holding the phone to his ear with his shoulder. "Chocolate it is."

After hanging up with Wally and paying for the ice cream, Roy leaves the store, grocery bag in hand. "Stupid, tonsillitis. Stupid _Wally."_

"Hey," a voice calls. Roy turns sharply, recognizing the voice and-

.x.

-He wakes up with a blinding headache, killer dehydration, and a note.

_She's yours. Her name is Lian. Do what you want._

It's cold, he thinks, rubbing his eyes. "Lian? What the fuck-,"

A loud, shrill screaming erupts from next to him, and Roy finally notices the basket. He tries not to believe what's in the basket. But _fuck_ it's so _obvious._

His fingers reach out, pull back the white, dirty sheet and—

God…she looks just like her mom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we have chapter two. Hope everyone enjoys!**

****Characters: ****Roy Harper, Jade Nguyen, Dinah Lance, Lian Harper, Artemis Crock

**Pairing:** Roy/Jade

**Rating: **high T

**Summary:** Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. So does theirs.

* * *

><p>The Beginning (of the Middle)<p>

**i. ****she brings destruction**

Lian is…is a handful, and he's not sure what to do with his hands, or if it's too hot in the apartment, or too cold. Wally's useless, Dick brings food, Kaldur rocks her to sleep, and M'gann buys her things. But it doesn't make up for the fact that Jade isn't_ here_ and that she doesn't _care._

Right now, Roy's pushing his door open, walking in on Artemis and Lian. The blonde is holding his—_daughter _like she's made of glass or something, and Roy feels weird.

"Hey," he mutters, walking across the room to look at his kid. She's asleep, eyes moving behind her closed lids, and Roy hopes she's dreaming about something nice. "How was she?"

Artemis doesn't answer him for a moment, and Roy gets annoyed, so he leaves her side and walks into the kitchen, fixing himself something to eat.

"She looks just like her mom," Artemis murmurs, and Roy knows. But how does she?

"And you would know this because…?"

Again, Artemis doesn't answer right away. She stands and makes her way toward Roy, Lian tucked safely in the crook of her arms. "I just do."

There's something she isn't telling him, something that she probably never will, but that's alright. He's too tired to care right now.

"She was good though?" He asks again, chewing on his sandwich. Lian's nose wiggles slightly, and Roy's mouth quirks up.

"Perfect," Artemis whispers, and if Roy's not mistaken, her chin trembles slightly. She brushes hair from Lian's forehead, "Do you want me to put her in her room?"

"Uh," he stares at the girl for a moment, blue eyes searching her grey ones. "Just put her in my bed, she likes sleeping with me."

"Right," Artemis nods, turning away from him, and maybe he's never noticed before, but she looks an awful lot like Jade, too.

.x.

"Speedy look out!" Roy doesn't have time to scold Wally for not using the right name, because he's being pulled down by a strong Atlantean. Bullets riddle the wall Roy was standing in front of moments later.

"Shit," Roy mutters, scrubbing at his face. "That was close, thanks Aqualad."

Kaldur nods, small smile gracing his features. "Do try and be careful next time."

"Will do," he murmurs, shooting an arrow into the field. Kaldur races out from behind where they're hiding. Roy attempts to follow, but it pulled back.

"Where do you think you're going?" A voice asks, cool and collected. Roy turns, eyes narrowed.

"To help my _friends,_" he hisses, pushing her away from him. She scowls, "And my kid sister, too?"

Roy shakes his head, points an arrow at her. "You have no right to be here."

"But I do," she tells him, walking forward. The point of his arrow is pressed to her throat. "Go on, shoot me."

He lowers the bow with a scowl. "Get _lost_."

"How is she?" Jade asks, backing away from him, boots soundless against the debris on the ground. "Is she well?"

"She is," he nods, and he owes her that, at least. "Now _leave."_

She does.

* * *

><p>The Middle (of the Middle)<p>

**ii. if the bridge has to fall**

But not for long.

It's two in the morning, and Roy's lying next to Lian, cradling her small body to his chest. He can feel the rise and fall of her own chest, and her breath against his neck. She mumbles something unintelligent, and Roy smiles.

"Looks like _you're_ having a nice time," Jade mutters, and Roy sits up immediately, moving so Lian is behind him. She startles and begins crying. Roy attempts to comfort her, but his eyes stray to Jade's blood-soaked costume.

"Go on then," she glares at him, nodding to his—_their—_child. "I'll be waiting in the washroom."

Roy watches her leave, and then turns to his daughter, pressing her close. "Shh, baby, I've got you."

It takes him almost half an hour to get Lian back to sleep, but once he does, Roy makes his way to the washroom. Jade's in there, half sitting on the toilet, half in the tub, her costume off. She's got her chest wrapped in bandages, but that's normal. She always wraps her chest when she goes out. Roy swallows when his eyes travel lower, to her black panties.

"Are you just going to _stand there_?" She breathes, fingers hovering over a long, jagged gash on her hip, "Or do you plan on helping me?"

Roy moves toward her, grabbing the first-aid kit from where she left it on the ground. He squats down next to her, eyeing the cut. "What happened?"

He pulls out a needle and thread, preparing to stitch her closed. She doesn't even flinch when he digs the needle into her skin. "There are a _lot_ of people that don't like you, did you know that?"

Roy pauses, turns to stare at her. "What did you _do?"_

"I'm not going to let my child die," she tells him fiercely, "So I took out anyone who would want to hurt you."

"Jade…" he starts again, in and out, in and out. "You didn't have to do that."

"It wasn't for you," she snaps, keeping her gaze on the tiled walls. "So you can shut up with all the lovey-dovey talk."

"Right," he holds back the urge to roll his eyes. "You've gotta shower off after I finish. Are…are you going to stay here tonight?"

He watches her swallow, and she doesn't meet his eyes again when she murmurs, "Yeah, I'll stay."

After he helps her into the shower, much to her annoyance, he leaves to make sure his bed doesn't smell like ass. Which it does; awesome!

He rushes to make the bed presentable, gets his daughter comfortable, and then checks on Jade. She's towelling off when he opens the door, and doesn't even look up at the intrusion. "Don't worry, I'm not running off."

"I didn't expect you to," but he did. "Do you need something to uh…wear…?" _Obviously she does, Roy._

"I'll just go _naked,"_ she deadpans, but he can imagine her doing so. He tosses her the shirt and pants he'd found stuffed in his drawer. "Anything else?"

They stare at each other for a moment before Roy looks away. "No, Roy, I'm good."

"Right well I will see you in the uh. Bedroom. Yeah."

When she comes in ten minutes later, she pauses before she gets into the bed. "She's…she's gotten so big…"

"Yeah, she grew right out of the clothes Black Canary bought her. And she can say a few words now. Bat, fast, da…" He looks at her, searches her face. She doesn't smile, but she does lie down next to them, putting a tentative hand on Lian's stomach.

After a while of staring at her, Roy shuts his eyes, attempts to fall asleep. He supposes his breathing has evened out, because Jade cries into her pillow silently, but he can feel the bed shiver.

Sometimes he forgets that she's human.

.x.

She's gone when Lian wakes up.

.x.

Weeks later, he gets a phone call in the middle of the night from her. She's quick and to the point, "Make sure Artemis isn't sent on the next mission the Young Justice team go on."

She hangs up without an explanation.*

* * *

><p>The End (of the Middle)<p>

**iii. stay clean**

"A _country_," Dinah says the words like he's slow or something. He knows exactly what Jade's done. He knows that it was wrong. But he needs to see her. He hasn't _seen her_ in _five years._ Lian kicks at his leg, hands covering her ears. "Daddy when can we go?"

"Soon, _etai yazi,"_ he tells her, pulling her hands from her ears. "We're on our way."

"_Roy."_ Dinah snaps, reaching for his arm. He dodges her grip though, and glares. "I'm not going to _free her_ Dinah. I'm taking my _daughter_ to see her _mother._ And you might act like mine, but you're not."

He knows how much that must have stung, because he knows Dinah, and he knows how much she loves him. "Fine, go."

They do.

.x.

"Nguyen, Jade," the officer stands at her cell glaring at her and she smirks. "Yes?"

"You've got visitors."

Her eyebrows draw together. She hadn't been expected a jailbreak this quickly. But then again, beggars can't be choosers. She sits up, waits for her saviours'.

It's not who she expects. The people that walk through the door are—

"Roy?" Her eyes widen, and her mouth turns down. "Roy _what are you doing here?"_ She doesn't mean to ignore Lian, but she does. Why would he bring her when she's like this?

"Momma?" Lian steps forward and Jade can't help but step forward too. This seems to give Lian courage, because the little girl launches herself in her mother's arms, sobbing.

Jade holds her tight, sitting on the ground and rocking her. "I'm so sorry, I'm so, so sorry," she whispers into her daughter's hair. "Forgive me."

"I do, Momma," Lian kisses her cheek, and Jade wipes away Lian's tears. "I'm sorry you're here, Momma."

"Me too," Jade murmurs, holding her close again. She looks up at Roy, who stands there, smiling slightly. He nods at her, and she holds Lian tighter.

* * *

><p><strong>*This follows along to another fic I plan on putting up, it's Artemis-centric.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Aha, and we're finished. This is kind of dark, so be warned. I did change a few things, like instead of Mia, it's Artemis, and we've got a bit of DC reboot in here, too.**

**Characters: **Roy Harper, Jade Nguyen, Artemis Crock, Oliver Queen, Dinah Lance, Lian Harper, Slade Wilson

**Pairing:** Roy/Jade

**Rating: **high T

**Summary:** Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. So does theirs.

* * *

><p>The Beginning (of the End)<p>

**i. she's a mess of gorgeous chaos**

She's got a brand on her waist. It makes Roy sick, and he has to push down the oncoming vomit. He can't show her how scared he was. He just _can't._

"D-da-daddy," she hiccups into his jacket, fists clenching it so tightly that she leaves crescent shaped marks in the fabric. She sobs harder, and Roy pulls her as close to him as he can. She doesn't complain.

Roy ignores the other Titans, and he holds his daughter.

"D-don't l-l-leave _me,"_ She stutters into his neck, tears leaving the skin wet. He shakes his head, following Dick into the medical bay of the Tower. "I'm not leaving you baby girl."

.x.

He doesn't see Jade for a long time. He and Lian grow him and Lian move, he and Lian _live._

Lian still has nightmares of the night Tanner took her, but they've gotten better, and she doesn't sleep in Roy's bed anymore, and she doesn't wake up screaming.

He begins training Lian, teaching her the basics of a bow, how to fight. Lian starts school, gets amazing grades, top of her class, and for a moment, everything is good.

.x.

"Daddy?" Lian drags a hand down her pink walls. "Why do you think Mommy doesn't love me?"

Roy finishes putting her clothes in her drawer, and turns around. "What? Lian…what makes you say that?"

Lian shrugs and pulls her blankets tight around her. "I dunno," she murmurs, hugging her stuffed animals close. "Some of the kids at school were wonderin' why I didn't have a mommy."

Roy sits down on the edge of her bed, smoothing hair from her face. "Lian," he leans forward so he's looking into her eyes. "Baby girl, your mother loves you _so much._ That's why she let me keep you, so you don't get hurt with her. And I'm never, ever going to let anything bad happen to you."

He tries to believe his own words.

* * *

><p>The Middle (of the End)<p>

**ii. then we'll fall too**

He's got no idea what's happened. All Roy Harper knows, is that his arm is gone, and so is everything else. They won't say what happened to Lian yet; Donna and Ollie and Dinah, they know, but they keep their mouths shut, and he rages against closed doors and submits to the thing he's tried so hard to be away from.

And then he sees her. She's cold, pale, empty, and he's only seen Lian this colour once. It was back when he was trying to learn to be a father and he'd fed her grapes. She'd choked, and although Roy knew how to give someone the Heimlich, he'd only known how to give it to adults. Wally had skipped class in a heartbeat and been there, pumping the heel of his hand against her back.

It was terrifying to watch, to not be able to do anything. Roy supposes that's how Lian felt. Trapped, alone, scared. He wonders if she'd screamed, or what her last words were. He wonders if she died on impact, or if it was instant. And what _is_ instant anyway? Five minutes? Three agonizing _seconds?_ He tries to take Lian's hand, but—oh yeah. He can't. Instead, he leans over, covering her body with his, shivering and shaking and _crying._

.x.

Artemis tries to apologize, "I didn't ever in a million years think that—"

It doesn't matter though, Roy thinks, Roy _says,_ as his hand wraps around her neck, knee presses into her stomach. She gags and chokes. "You weren't there. You were _babysitting her and you fucking left!"_

He thinks it may have been Dick that pulls him off. Dick or Kaldur, he's not sure. He doesn't care.

Roy robs a pharmacy that night, stealing painkillers.

.x.

Ollie killed Prometheus. Ollie _killed_ him.

Roy nearly kills Ollie, "It wasn't _your right. He took my arm. He took my __**daughter.**_"

Ollie's on the run, too.

.x.

The painkillers are obviously the reason he sees her. But it doesn't matter anymore. _Nothing matters._

He's haunted by the little girl that was his daughter. Haunted by her laugh, her cries, and her last words that he'll never _know;_ _Daddy please, Daddy help, Daddy don't let me die please oh please oh __**no.**_

She's there in every dream, in every dark corner. Alcohol doesn't help, and neither does that huge fucking _house_ he'd just fucking _bought_ for _her to grow up in._ For her to _live in._ _Daddy burn it to the ground. Let me go._

He follows her orders. He owes her that. He owes her everything.

The house burns, and if he squints, he can watch the pink walls of her room melt and bubble.

(he pretends not to notice the little girl standing in the window; trapped forever.)

.x.

Heroin is a friend he gladly welcomes. Unlike Dick or Wally or anyone else, this is comforting. It makes him forget, makes him think about other things for a while.

And he does forget, he forgets everything, just for a little while. Until Jade's kicking in his motel room door, attempting to slit his throat, or cut off his other arm. "_You fucking fool!"_ She's shrieking, hissing, kicking, spitting. _Doesn't matter,_ Roy thinks slowly, mind clouded. _It doesn't matter._

His new arm is on the ground next to the bed, and Jade kicks at it, hands shaking. She's finished attacking him for now. "You fucking _fool."_

"It was _your_ sister that left her," Roy slurs, slips on the bed as he loses balance on his left arm. He doesn't have his right arm to catch him anymore. Jade glares at him.

For the first time since she's been here, he notices that she doesn't have her mask on, and she's crying.

.x.

That night, after he leaves her alone in the hotel, he kills a cat. He doesn't know why. Lian loved cats, Jade was a _fucking cat_ and this…nothing makes sense anymore.

He hears them then, the dealers. And he runs faster than he ever has before, and lands a blow to one of their heads before they can even comprehend what's happening. _Good_, Roy thinks. _This must have been what she felt. Not knowing what was happening, not understanding what was going on._

Roy doesn't realise after he's stolen the drugs that he'd nearly killed all of them.

.x.

Bruce finds him walking the streets. He calls Dinah, and Dinah brings Roy to the centre. "You'll feel better, just stay here, okay?"

No. Not okay.

* * *

><p>The End (of the End)<p>

**iii. i need you to need me**

He stays with Jade, because she needs him. She doesn't tell him so, but he's sure she does. He can feel her crying when she thinks he's asleep or high.

They're awful for each other. They bring out the _worst_ qualities in one another, but it doesn't matter. Roy doesn't know how many times he can repeat those words: _it doesn't matter_, for it to be true.

He desperately wishes that it _didn't_ matter.

.x.

Jade plays these stupid little games with him, and they join Slade, and they do all these things but Roy doesn't remember half of them. He doesn't care.

(he wonders when that'll be true, too.)

.x.

"We'll kill him," Jade says, pressing a kiss to his mouth, tugging at his lip. "He was a part of it. He helped kill her."

Rage surges through Roy despite his current mental state, and he supresses it. "How do you know?"

"A little birdy told me."

.x.

They do try, and they do fail. And Roy joins him, and so does Jade.

.x.

_She's in a better place,_ Roy thinks. And finally, he believes.

.x.

"Jade?" Roy stares at her, and she seems like she's a million miles away. But she's not. She's right there, next to him, and all Roy can think about is how he used to wish for her to be next to him every night.

"Hmm?" She stares at him, and she's not pretending anymore. Not like she did with Catman, or with Deathstroke. Not like she does with everyone but him.

"Why did you leave your family?"

It's something he's never had the balls to ask before. She stares at him, and he wonders if she'll tell him.

"Did you ever wonder why my last name was Nguyen and not Crock?" She murmurs, running a finger down his chest. Her hair is everywhere, sticking to her face, the pillow. She's gorgeous.

"It crossed my mind," he nods, placing a hand on her hip.

"Sportsmaster isn't my father. He's _Artemis'_ but not _mine._ My mother dated Sportsmaster before, but then something happened and she'd thought he was dead, so she drowned herself in men and alcohol. And viola, here I am."

"That doesn't answer my question though," he tells her, and she knows.

"He never really liked the idea of me not being _his._ So he took out his anger on me a lot. I suppose it was better than him hitting my sister but…but I couldn't take it anymore. And I left. End of story."

Roy doesn't really think it's the end, but he kisses her anyway.

.x.

"It'll bring her _back,"_ Deathstroke tells them, grinning. "Wouldn't you like that?"

"Yes," and "No," ring out, and Jade stares at Roy. "_No?_ Are you fucking _insane?_ That's—that's Lian—that's our daughter-!"

"Our _dead_ daughter," Roy says, but it hurts _so much._ "And we can't bring her back. It's not right, Jade."

Jade's shaking with anger, and Deathstroke looks like he's enjoying it. "Going once."

"You're not bringing her back, Jade."

"Going twice," Deathstroke's voice echoes around them.

"We can bring her _back,"_ Jade's desperate, he can tell. "Please."

"And _sold!"_

Roy gives Cinder and Tattooed Man a look, and they jump forward.

By the end of the brawl, the Methuselah is destroyed.

.x.

Its years later when he sees her again.

"I don't forgive you," Jade says, and he wishes he had that fucking device now. He wishes he could bring them both back. "You let her die. And it's your fault we couldn't bring her back."

Blood trickles from her mouth, and Roy's hand hovers over her own poisoned blade that'd been shoved into her abdomen. The blood vessels in her eyes burst, and she cries pink tears. "I miss her, Roy."

He holds her to him, kisses her head, and nods. "I miss her too. But she's happy now, she's safe."

"How do you k-know?" Jade's choking on her own—on her own _blood._

"Because I _have to,"_ Roy murmurs, and he does. He has to believe she's somewhere good; somewhere beautiful. Because if she's not then…then well…

"I think we'll be able to start over again, soon," Roy murmurs in her ear, pressing a kiss there. "I have this feeling we'll see her again."

Jade doesn't speak for so long that he thinks she's died, but then she whispers, "So do I," and she dies.

It's not something special. She gags on her blood, and she bleeds out, and it's not a beautiful death, it's a sad one. But it's also one that nobody will be sad over aside from him and Artemis.

Something about her death makes Roy _think;_ because he'd never in a million years think she'd be stabbed by her own blade. Maybe she wanted to die. The air ripples around him, it grows cold, and warm, and it feels like Wally's just run past him at full speed. But that's silly. And when he looks up and sees two shadows, it's almost like Lian's there, walking her mother home.

And Roy…Roy's okay with that.

.x.

"You doin' okay?" Jason slings an arm around the back of his seat, other hand on the wheel. Roy continues staring out the window at the two women, a girl and her mother, walking down the street. They're Asian; that much he can tell. But they're so familiar.

"Fine," Roy says, running a hand through his too-long hair. "Wanna cut my hair later?"

"Sure," Kory murmurs from the backseat, eyeing a magazine. "How short?"

"I dunno," he's still staring, and they—they're staring back. The mom grins at him like she's the Cheshire cat, and the little girl waves.

"You know them?" Jason's looking back at them through the mirrors of the car. "The mom's cute."

"I uh…" he turns away from them, shaking his head. "Shit. I dunno. Probably not."

He never tells Jason or Kory about the memories that surge through his head of the two women. When he looks back, they're gone.

* * *

><p><strong>If you hadn't noticed all of the sentences at the beginning of each part had to do with each other.<strong>

**Beginning: **she's chaos in human form. she brings destruction. she's a mess of gorgeous chaos.

****Middle:**** build a bridge. if the bridge has to fall. then we'll fall too.

******End: ******stay gone. stay clean. i need you to need me.


End file.
